1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of wound care. More specifically, the present invention relates to adhesive bandages and methods for protecting a wound with a bandage.
2. Description of Related Art
Adhesive bandages are used to protect wounds from friction, bacteria, damage and dirt in order to facilitate the healing process. Typically, an adhesive bandage lays flat on the wounds and is covered by a woven plastic or latex strip that contains an absorbent dressing that may or may not be medicated with an antibacterial or antiseptic compound. The bandage is usually applied such that the dressing covers the wound and the woven plastic or latex strip is adhered to the skin thereby holding the bandage in place over the wound.
The adhesive bandage is well known in the prior art. While most bandages lay flat against a wound, there have been various attempts to create a raised area above the wound so that the wound is not irritated by the bandage covering. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,677 to Stumpf, U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,666 to Fryslie, U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,781 to Loomis, U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,943 to Maiwald, U.S. Pat. No. 7,265,256 to Arenstein and U.S. Pat. No. 8,237,008 to Alessandrini all disclose a bandage with a raised area with shapes ranging from circular, semi-circular to rectangular. However, the application of pressure against these raised areas results in the bandage pressing up against the wound. Further, as the raised areas are a permanent part of the bandage design, the bandages are unable to be easily transported and stored. The present invention is distinguishable from the prior art in that it creates a raised cone, which is significantly more difficult to press against the wound based on the strength of the cone design. Further, the cone is created at the time of bandage application and not manufacture, thus allowing the bandages to be shipped and stored in flat position.
While U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,050 to Augustine et.al. discloses a semi cone like raised area above the wound, the adhesive material of the bandage is limited to a round shape that does not allow for the bandage to grasp “hard to apply” body locations such as the fingers or other appendages. The present invention is distinguishable from '050 to Augustine in that it may be applied as a flat bandage or may be applied in the cone shape above the wound. Further, the bandage has attached legs that may be used to grip the skin and body parts around the wound location.